Adjustable bed assembly

Abstract

An adjustable bed system includes a mattress and an adjustment mechanism. The mattress includes a head portion and a foot portion rearward of the head portion. The head portion defines a cavity that is downwardly open. The adjustment mechanism includes a lower base, an upper support that is movably coupled to the lower base, and an actuator operable to move the upper support relative to the lower base. The adjustment mechanism is positioned in the cavity and is coupled to the mattress. When the actuator is operated, the adjustment mechanism moves the adjustable bed system between a flat configuration in which the head portion is substantially coplanar with the foot portion and an inclined configuration in which the head portion is inclined relative to the foot portion.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An adjustable bed system comprising:
 a mattress having a head portion and a foot portion rearward of the head portion, wherein the head portion defines a cavity that is downwardly open;   an adjustment mechanism having a lower base, an upper support that is movably coupled to the lower base, and an actuator operable to move the upper support relative to the lower base; and   a flexible panel, a zipper, or both that couple the lower base of the adjustment mechanism to a coupling portion of the mattress rearward of the cavity to prevent forward movement of the adjustment mechanism relative to the foot portion of the mattress;   wherein the adjustment mechanism is positioned in the cavity and coupled to the mattress, and when the actuator is operated, the adjustment mechanism moves the adjustable bed system between a flat configuration in which the head portion is substantially coplanar with the foot portion and an inclined configuration in which the head portion is inclined relative to the foot portion.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 1 , wherein the head portion includes an upper subportion having a downward facing surface that defines the cavity, and the upper support of the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the downward facing surface. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 2 , wherein the upper support of the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the downward facing surface with a hook and loop fastener system. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 3 , wherein the upper support includes one or more support panels that form one side of the hook and loop fastener system, and the downward facing surface includes one or more mattress panels that form another side of the hook and loop fastener system and are coupled to the one or more support panels. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion does not move relative to a flat support surface on which the adjustable bed system is positioned when the adjustment mechanism moves the adjustable bed system between the flat configuration and the inclined configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 1 , comprising one or more of the panels, each have a first end coupled to the lower base and a second end coupled to the coupling portion. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 6 , wherein the first end is coupled to the lower base with the zipper. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more panels cooperatively span less than half a width of the cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more panels are releasably coupleable to the mattress at one or more of a head-end of the cavity or sides of the cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more panels enclose the adjustment mechanism in the cavity. 
     
     
         11 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 6 , wherein the second end is coupled to the coupling portion with the zipper. 
     
     
         12 . An adjustable bed system comprising:
 a mattress having a head portion and a foot portion; and   an adjustment mechanism that lifts the head portion from a first configuration in which a first upper surface of the head portion and a second upper surface of the foot portion are substantially coplanar and a second configuration in which first upper surface is inclined relative to the second upper surface;   wherein in a third configuration, the mattress is folded such that the first upper surface faces the second upper surface and force is transferred from the first upper surface to the second upper surface.   
     
     
         13 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 12 , wherein in the third configuration, the head portion of the mattress and the foot portion of the mattress are compressed by removable packaging. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 13 , wherein the removable packing is a vacuum bag in which the mattress and the adjustment mechanism are enclosed. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 12 , wherein the head portion of the mattress defines a cavity in which is positioned the adjustment mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 12 , wherein in the third configuration, the head portion of the mattress is compressed a lesser distance from a relaxed state thereof than is the foot portion of the mattress compressed from a relaxed state thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 12 , wherein packaging retains the mattress in the third configuration. 
     
     
         18 . An adjustable bed system comprising:
 a mattress having a head portion and a foot portion; and   an adjustment mechanism having a lower base, an upper support pivotably coupled to the lower base, and an actuator operable to move the upper support upward relative to the lower base;   wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to raise the head portion of the mattress when the actuator is operated from a first configuration to a second configuration;   wherein the lower base of the adjustment mechanism is coupled to a coupling portion of the mattress to prevent movement of the lower base in a forward direction away from the foot portion of the mattress wherein a head end of the adjustment mechanism is releasably coupleable to a head end of the mattress;   wherein in the first configuration and a third configuration, the upper surfaces of the head portion and the foot portion are substantially coplanar, in the first configuration a head end of the adjustment mechanism is decoupled from the head end of the mattress, and in the third configuration, the head end of the adjustment mechanism is releasably coupled to the head end of the mattress.   
     
     
         19 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 18 , wherein the lower base includes a frame having a head-end member and a foot-end member that are spaced apart longitudinally and a left side member and a right side member that are spaced apart laterally and extend between and are coupled to the head-end member and the foot-end member;
 wherein the head-end member is coupled to the coupling portion of the mattress with a coupler extending therebetween.   
     
     
         20 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 19 , wherein the coupler includes a flexible panel that is wrapped around the head-end member of the frame of the lower base. 
     
     
         21 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 20 , wherein the frame of the lower base includes a stanchion that extends upward from the head-end member and engages the upper support when the adjustable bed system is in the first configuration, and wherein a forward end of the coupler is wrapped around the head-end member on different sides of the stanchion. 
     
     
         22 . The adjustable bed system of  claim 18 , wherein in the first configuration, a head end of the base is not coupled to the head end of the mattress, and in the third configuration, the head end of the base is coupled to the head end of the mattress.